Grilled mackerel, orange fattoush

Grilled mackerel, orange fattoush. Photograph: Harry Weir
Grilled mackerel, orange fattoush. Photograph: Harry Weir
Serves: 4
Course: Main
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Prep Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

  • 2 pitta breads, sliced into strips
  • 1tsp sumac or ras al hanout
  • 50ml extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 small red onion, peeled and finely sliced
  • 1 packet baby plum tomatoes, halved
  • Half a cucumber, peeled, cut lengthways and sliced
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • A dash of red wine vinegar
  • A pinch of sugar
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 2 Little Gem lettuce, washed and sliced
  • Some fresh mint and flat parsley
  • 4 large mackerel fillets, bones removed

1 Set the oven to 185 degrees.

2 Put the pitta bread on a roasting tray and drizzle a little of the olive oil, sumac, salt and pepper over it. Put in the oven for 10 minutes until crisp.

3 Put the onions, tomatoes and cucumber into a bowl and add the orange juice, vinegar, sugar and garlic followed by the remaining oil to make a dressing.

4 Add the lettuce and herbs, and pitta strips, then season.

5 Switch the oven on to grill, then lay the mackerel skin-side up on an oiled tray.

6 Grill on high heat for three to four minutes, until cooked, then serve on top of the salad.

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. He and his wife, Máire, run the Tannery restaurant and cookery school in Dungarvan, Co Waterford